Bilateral Cooperation in Education between Singapore and the United Arab Emirates

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Bilateral Cooperation in Education between Singapore and the United Arab Emirates

1. Singapore and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 6 May 2007 to support education collaboration between the two countries.[1]

2. Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister for Education and Second Minister for Finance, signed the MOU with UAE Education Minister Dr Hanif Hassan Ali in Abu Dhabi this afternoon as part of Mr Shanmugaratnam’s visit to the UAE.

3. In a meeting earlier in the day, the two Ministers agreed to engage in a comprehensive programme of collaboration between the two countries focusing on capability development and advisory services in the following key areas, aimed at supporting the UAE’s vision of reforming and strengthening its public school system:

(a) System-level capabilities in curriculum; examination/assessment; systems for overseeing and managing schools; use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in education;

(b) Provision of training and advice for a select group of schools in Abu Dhabi that can pilot changes, which have the potential for the Abu Dhabi Education Council to roll out to more schools over time;

(c) Study visits and attachments at MOE and Singapore schools for school leaders and teachers from the pilot schools, as well as Abu Dhabi professional specialists, to undergo customised training or receive on-the-job mentoring in Singapore schools; and

(d) Continued close engagement of Singapore’s National Institute of Education in development of the Emirates College for Advanced Education, which is training future cohorts of Abu Dhabi teachers and school leaders and teachers.[2]

4. During the visit, Mr Shanmugaratnam met His Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. He also visited the Abu Dhabi Education Council, the Dubai Education Council, and schools and institutions in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

[1] The MOU provides a comprehensive framework covering school twinning, joint student activities, sharing of information and experiences in education-related areas, as well as staff exchanges and training.

[2] NIE has seconded Prof Quek Jin Jong to be Vice Chancellor of ECAE, as well as Associate Professor Steven Tan who will both be working full-time in Abu Dhabi. About thirty NIE staff are also involved in developing curriculum modules for ECAE courses, which are modelled after NIE courses in Singapore.